Wigan v Everton – Team News

This Saturday at 3pm, high-flying Everton travel to the DW Stadium to face Premier League strugglers Wigan in what is a crucial game for both sides. A win for David Moyes side will consolidate their position in 2nd place, while defeat for Wigan could see them fall into the relegation zone.

The betting for this game sees hosts Wigan at 11/4, the draw is available at 12/5 while favourites Everton face Saturday’s game at EVS with Boylesports.com

Everton have been the surprise package of the new Premier League season and have got themselves to the top of the table by playing some pretty impressive football. Their opening 1-0 win over Man United sent tremors through the English domestic league, with big things expected from a Red Devils squad which boasted none other than Robin Van Persie.

It’s been a tough start to the season for Wigan having picked up just 4 points from a possible 18. A record which suggests that they may have a torrid time ahead of them. In their last outing they were at the end of a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, however Roberto Martinez felt that his side’s chances were severely diminished by the sending off of Jordi Gomez.

The Wigan manager commented after the match, “I thought we were the better side in the first half and it was a shame we could not convert any of our chances.“We tried to push on and put Sunderland under pressure but the things that went against us I don’t think we could have done much to control them.”

Saturday’s game represents a crucial fixture for Wigan as their chance to solidify their place in the Premier League. Manager Martinez believes that this string of poor results at the start of the season could ultimately be to their detriment.

“Every defeat is a concern, you don’t want to lose games and it is as simple as that. I thought our first half performance showed we are a team who create opportunities. There was nothing we could do about this 90 minutes and now we must concentrate on our next game.”While the talk at DW Stadium centres around avoiding relegation, things are very different at Goodison Park where mentions of Champions League football next season have been passed over by David Moyes. Belgian striker Marouane Fellaini has found a new role within the Toffees side and has been enjoying his 2012/13 season so far.

He’s primed to feature heavily in this game at the DW Stadium and at 13/2 to score first or 2/1 to score anytime, a bet on the Belgian player could deliver some tidy winnings. The 6ft 4 striker has been busy setting up his team mates so far this season, but his height and good control suggests he possesses the ability to strike at any time.

The betting and table standings would suggest that only one team have the winning of this game and that’s Everton but have the Toffees shown any vulnerability this season? The team who gave David Moyes’ side the biggest challenge was West Brom who recorded a 2-0 victory on Everton.

Overambitious tactics from David Moyes that day could be accredited to their defeat at the Hawthorns, when drawing 0-0 going into the last 20 minutes of the game. “We made changes to try and win the game, brought Kevin Mirallas on, opened up the game a bit more. We weren’t playing well enough in the final third, but it didn’t improve anything.“Maybe when it was 0-0 I should have said ‘sit back and take 0-0′. Sometimes you make decisions and they work – sometimes they don’t.”

Is there any chance of Everton going into this fixture with their eye off the ball? Having looked pretty much invincible in these first games of the season, a trip to the DW Stadium hardly strikes fear into the hearts of the Toffees.

If we take it for granted that Everton will put their best foot forward against Wigan, then it’s hard to see the Toffees being beaten. This would suggest that a price of EVS for the away win is quite generous. If you fancy Wigan to totally capitulate, then perhaps a bet on the handicap taking Everton -1 at odds of 12/5 could warrant interest.

Boylesports Assist Market has been the talk of many football punters since the start of the season and it seems to be a real unique selling point to the Irish bookmaker’s site. Leighton Baines at 9/2 to assist any goal during the game looks like something that may have a canny football punter salivating at the mouth. The England international loves to get forward and last week assisted a goal at Goodison Park, which suggests that there may be more to come!

Don’t waste your money on any other market on this game, all you need can be found on the match betting where Everton at EVS look like a sure bet for me.